Fluid-pressure device.



C. DANTSlZEN.

FLUID PRESSURE DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 19 12.

Llfi fi gm Patented (M126, 1915.

Fig.2.

Witnesses Inventor:

,2??? m 244,; Christian Dan'tsi zen,

H is JTttorney.

llhllTED s re PAN anion,

CHRlISTIAN DANTSIZE N', 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TCl GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLUID-PRESSURE DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN DAN'ISIZEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Pressure Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to fluid pressure actuated devices, such as hydraulic orcompressed air lifts or motors and its object is to provide a device which is free from jerkiness and the tendency to overshoot and which. is, therefore, particularly applicable to the control of electrodes for electric furmaces.

In accordance with my invention, a cylin- -der having both intake and exhaust open \ings and supplied normally continuously,

with a fluid under pressure, is provided with valves whereby the relation between,

As their control, especially in arc furnaces,

is necessarily quite delicate, the regulation of suitable motive power for handling these electrodes without causing undue fluctuations of current becomes an important prob lem. In the case of hydraulic or similar apparatus, the usual methods of admitting and exhausting the fluid under pressure are inadequate. In my present device the fluid, for example, water, is passing through the cylinder unintermittently.

In Fig. 1 the regulation of an arc furnace by means of a lift which may be'operated either with hydraulic, steam or air pressure is illustrated. The elements of the electric furnace are indicated simply as a carbon electrode 1, movable with respectito a conductive base plate 2 supported in a suitable container 3, contact being made to I the plate 2 by a rod 4t passing through the Specification of Letters Patent.

. Application filed June 7, 1912.

Patented @ct. 2611915, Serial No. 702,152.

lower wall of the furnace. The lift which for the sake of co n ve f e'wiu be referred to as hydraulicly opera ed, comprises a cylexhaust pipe 12. The exhaust pipes are proat vided with shut off valves 13, 11- which if desired can be omitted. The intake pipes 9 and 11 receive water under pressurefrom a common pipe 15 and the flow of water in pipes 9 and 11 is controlled by a slide'valve 16, common to both pipes. The movements of this slide valve are controlled by an electromagnet 17 which is electrically connected in series with the are by conductor 18 as clearly shown. The pull of the electromagnet is opposed by the spring 19. In the position shown in the drawing, the openings 20 and 21 into the-pipes 9 and 11, respectively, are about equal. The pressure upon both sides of the, cylinder- 6 will therefore be about equal, as the water is being exhausted from pipe 10 and 12at a rate equal to its flow into the cylinder. The electrode, therefore, will slowly fall by reason of its OWILM weight until electrical contact is made with 555 the plate 2, or with any charge resting upon this plate. The solenoid 17 will be energized, thereby raising its core and moving the slide valve 16 so as to reduce the size of the opening 21 and enlarge the size of the at opening" 20. This operation will increase the flow of Water into the lower part of the cylinder below the piston 6 and decrease its flow into the space above the piston. As the exhaust openings remain the same the effect of this will be to raise the electrode and strike an arc. The apparatus can be so adjusted that when the are is of desired length, the pull of solenoid 1'? will just equal the pull of the spring'lSl when the pressures upon both sides of the piston 6 are properly proportioned, and thus the electrode will be held stationary. As the arc lengthens either by wearing away of the electrode or by the fusion or removal of the material in the furnae-e, the current decreases and the pull of the solenoid is weakened allowing the slide valve to descend and decreasing the flow of water in the pipe 9 and increasing the same in the pipe 11 until .the increase of pressure W9 sliding 0 in the upper part of the cylinder causes the electrode to descend. Because of the con tinuous flow of Water through the cylinder, these movements will take place promptly and almost imperceptibly without jerkine ss so as to maintain the are very steady the desired length. i

In the modification illustrated in 2, pressure is exerted upon the lower side of the piston only, its descent being caused by gravity only. In this case the cylinder 5 is provided with a single pipe receiving water under pressure from pipe 23 which is in communication with exhaust pipe 24. The exhaust pipe may be provided if desired with a cut off valve 25. Pipes 28 and 24 are provided in this case similar to the modification already described with a slide valve 16 operated as before by a. magnet 17 working against a spring 19.

To start the furnace in operation the valve 25 is opened allowing the piston 6 to descend by gravity, the water being exhausted through the pipe 2%. W he n the electrode j], makes contact with the plate 2 the magnet 17 is energized, and operatus the slidevalve to decrease the size of the opening 26 and present the passage 27 to thinflow of water in the pipe 23. This movement will continueuntil the admission ofavater from pipe 23 takes place at a greater ratei than its exhaust through pipe 24, causing the accumulation of pressure in the cylinder 5 and raising thepiston with its attached electrode. When the arc has reached the desired length, or when the current in the case of a resistance furnace has reached its proper value, the pull of the solenoid 17 is overcome by that of the spring 19 to such an extent as to decrease theintake of water and increase the exhaust to a point where equilibr ium is established and the electrode is 'regulation when the size held stationary. During normal operation of the furnace water is constantly flowing through the ports in both the regulating valves so as to permit a smooth and instant of the ports is changed by a movement of the valve. lVhen it is desired to shut down the furnace it is only necessary to close the valve 25 in the exhaust pipe 24 so that the accumulation of Water in the cylinder 5 will raise the elec trode until "the are breaks.

While I have described the operation of my improved fluid actuating device with reference to the control of an electric i'urnace, it will of course be understood that it is not limited in its application to this particular use. It is also obvious that fluids under pressure other than water can be used.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. The combination of a cylinder, a piston therein arranged to be urged in a given di- [*ection, a conduit for delivering a fluid under pressure to a chamber of said cylinder to urge said piston in the opposite direction, a conduit for discharging said fluid, and means for varying at will the ratio of delivery of said fluid with respect to the discharge thereby varying the position of the piston in said cylinder.

2. The combination of a cylinder, :1 piston movably mounted therein, a conduit for delivering a fluid under pressure to a chamber on. one side of said piston, a conduit for discharging said fluid from said chamber, and means for varying the rate of delivery of said fluid while simultaneously varying the discharge of said fluid.

3. The combination of a cylinder, :1 piston movable therein, a conduit for supplying said cylinder with a fiuid under pressure, a second conduit for discharging said fluid, a valve having a port connnunicating with said supply conduit, and another port communicating with said discharge conduit, said ports being so arranged with respect to said conduits that a widening of one port correspondingly contracts with the other port, and means for operating said valve.

1-. A fluid pressure device comprising the combination of a cylinder operable in a vertical position, a piston fitted therein, descending in said cylinder by gravity, a con duit communicating with said cylinder below said piston, supply and exhaust pipes connnunicating with said conduit, a slide valve having openings spaced to register with the openings through said pipes that a displacement of said valve in either direction widens the passage to one pipe and correspondingly closes the passage to the other pipe and means for moving said valve.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 0th day of June, 1912.

GH RISTIAN DANTSIZEN.

\Vitnesses BENJAMIN B. HULL, I'IELEN Onronu. 

